The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-09-01
SIXTY YEARS AGO.
Methods of Teaching That Will Seem
Funny to Pupils of To-Day.

Methods of Teaching That Will Seem
Funny to Pupils of To-Day.
In those days the first exercise was
reading two verses from the Testament
by the older pupils, who had back seats,
while the small children were nearest
the fire. After the reading if the
teacher was man of prayer he offered
one. This was done while the little
ones were roasting before the fire.
Then began the exercises in Webster's
spelling book, the teacher in winter
pointing to the letters with penknife,
and in summer with the point of his
scissors, as they were more or less in
use.
Thumps were generally on the head,
with thimble on the teachers finger,
if a female. Then came the study of
alb, alb. Then reading was begun with
themaxim: ''Let no man put off the
law of God" Then as the reader pro-
gressed came the stories in Webster's
spelling book of the unfortunate and
silly dairy maid who, with her milk
| pail on head. calculated how many eggs
she would sell it for and what fine
| dress she would buy, until, tossing her
head with these prideful reflections.
down came the milkpail to the ground
and with it all her sweet hopes.
Then there was the moral story about
the boys stealing apples. The farmer
first tried to stop them by throwing
tufts of grass, but finding them of no
effect he threw stones, which were more
effectual. The American Preceptor
succeeded that book. The children
were given a recess, though it was not
known by that name. The boys went
first by themselves, and afterwards the
girls. At recess the teacher mended
the goose-quill pens, the quilts being
picked up oftentimes while the children
were on the way to school. They would
be damp, and split could not well be
made to form the two nibs. If there
were girls who could not learn the
"rule of three" the teacher explained
it during the recess. Shortly came a
rap on the window to call in all the
children. After geography followed a
lesson in grammar, forty minutes long,
which none of the children understood.
but most of them hated. Ruled paper
was not known. The father bought a
few sheets of paper, which were stitched
at home. It was of all qualities. The
teacher had to rule the lines and keep
busy mending the pens. The ink was
home made.
Later on came the Columbian Orator
and English Reader, filled with solid
matter, not suited to the wants of the
learner. Children of sixteen, or about
that age, got to read very well, the
book passing from class to class. The
| girls were generally the best readers
There were no regular classes in arith
: metic, but the books were Daboll's ant
, Pixies arithmetics. No lessons wer'
given out, but pupil would get on a
he could. The teacher, if he could
would work out "sum." He had ;
8 book with the problems worked out
When pupil was troubled he woul'
Q copy it into similar book in his desk
4 and this satisfied both teacher ant
: pupil. But the happiest exercise wa
/, at the end of the week; reciting from
s the commandments and the catechisn
t and the tables of weights and measures
n The books of the Old Testament had t
|. be recited in order.-NeW London DGa